Christianity Is Good For You

 

A certain father was trying to teach his son the value of sacrificing for the things we really want in life. At the moment the boy could think of nothing grander than to own a BB gun. His father wanted to help, so he told the son that he would double anything that the boy saved. That sounded pretty generous and the boy began at once. Things went along pretty well for a while, and the funds grew rapidly. There was no mention of it as the funds grew to $10 saved. Not much by to­day’ s standards, but there are some children who would have a tough time saving $10 as they rarely see that kind of money. A month or so later the father happened to think of the proposal and asked his son how much mon­ey he had saved. Hesitantly, the boy told his father that he didn’t have the money he had saved up. “I spent it for something else,” is all he could mutter. All dad could see was that his lesson in saving and sacrifice had gone up in some frivolous moment.

The father pressed the son for an explana­tion, expecting to hear of some trivial and wasteful purchase. “Well, Son, it was your money and if you didn’t really want the gun…” “But, Daddy, I do want the gun. I’ve even dreamed about it, but I bought a Chinese boy instead.” The obvious question was forthcoming, “How in the world did you do that?” The little boy recounted how the Sun­day school teacher had informed them that they could contribute money to mission work and help save the souls of other young people just like themselves, so the little boy gave his $10 to help save another soul.

We all know who learned the greatest les­son in sacrifice that day. When a boy can teach a lesson such as this to a grown man, can we as Christians learn just such a great lesson in sacrificing? Not only our time and our money, but our very existence helps save this lost world.

It turns out that Christianity is good for you, and good for your kids. Aren’t I Captain Obvious? Well, I suppose if you have been listening too much to certain atheists it might not be obvious. Richard Dawkins has claimed that teaching children to accept their parent’s religion is a form of child abuse and suggests it’s even more damaging than sexual abuse. Interesting attention-grabbing statement—and completely wrong.

If you look at Christian families with unbiased eyes it is to see how beneficial practicing the Christian faith can be. If you need further proof, consider a 2018 Harvard Study. Researchers kept track of over five thousand youth for over a decade. Their findings? Young people who went to church and prayed were more likely to say they were happy, more likely to volunteer, and less likely to use drugs. The study’s author, Ying Chen, said “Many children are raised religiously, and our study shows that this can powerfully affect their behaviors, mental health, and overall happiness and well-being.” I didn’t need a Harvard professor to tell me that - but it’s nice when someone sees the truth.

[John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11] God sacrifices His Son for us. What are we sacrificing for Him? May we carry this same spirit over into an everyday attitude of “giving” of ourselves, and may we be encouraged to have the same diligence to show the sincerity of our love for God as we lay by in store each first day of the week.

(2 Corinthians 9:6-7) “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” The marvelous thing is that if we do this without a covetous desire, we’ll reap more than we sow. God’s shovel is just bigger than ours. Besides, all you possess belongs to God already – on lone to you.

Making The Right Choices

 

“The Choice” by unknown author. “I dreamed that it was Judgement Day, it hit me pretty hard. To meet my Maker face to face, and receive my reward. As I stood there before Him, He sadly shook His head. He turned the pages of the Book, and I was filled with dread! He looked me squarely in the eye; I knew I’d lost the race. Too many times I’d made the choice, and God took second place.”

A few years ago, I received a call from a lady at the hospital, presumably a staff nurse. She said a patient wanted to see a church of Christ preacher. I went to the hospital to see a man I had never seen before. He was near death and wanted me to say a prayer for him. He then related that he was a member of the Church but had not been in a church building for years. But now at the end of his life, he wanted to have a prayer. I took his hand and prayed as he requested. I’m not anyone’s judge, but I have a very difficult time with those who want to live apart from the Lord until the last minute of life. I truly fear for their soul. I know God forgives when we repent (1 John 1) and I pray that prayer is enough repentance.

But what about all the years away from the Body of Christ? What about those person’s he might have reached with the gospel? I can’t help but worder if a deathbed prayer is true repentance. We are told to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:15-16). And surely this person I visited had not done so. Regardless, such a person’s soul is in the hands of God and God is the judge of us all (Acts 10:42). But it is wise not to wait; death may come unannounced.

[1 John 2:2] “And He Himself (Jesus) is the propitiation (our atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

If Jesus is every lost person’s Savior, why isn’t every lost person saved? The answer to this question is very easy. The Lord Jesus saves only those who respond to His call to salvation, which is the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). He saves only those who get into Him and put Him on in water baptism (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27). Baptism that puts one into Christ, and by which one puts on Christ has to be preceded by one’s faith in Christ as the Son of God, the Savior which came down from above (John 8:21-24). Baptism must also be preceded by repentance of sin, and by confession that Jesus is God’s Son (Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10).

Today you have the power within your grasp to change this horrible nightmare of judgement into that blessed assurance of a home in heaven with God for eternity. Yes, you have the ability to change your destiny, your eternal home, heaven or hell, by the choices you choose to make – today and the rest of your life. In a hundred years it won’t matter what kind of car you drove, how big your house was, or even how well you could swing a golf club or throw a rope. What will matter is how true one has been to the Bible.

John 12:47-50 tells us that God’s Word, the Bible, will judge us. “And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Be sure you’re making the right choices, for your choices will dictate your home for eternity.

Peer Pressure

 

At the climax of a graduating commencement ceremony in a certain Bible Institute in India, the entire graduation class rises to commit themselves to the Lord’s work with these words: “Today, I stand as a dead man. I declare that in Jesus Crist, I am saved by His blood, and thus I am dead to sin, and no longer dead in my sin. Today, I stand and declare that I surrender my will and my life to His will and His life. I shall go where He sends me, without asking questions. I shall go to whomever He sends me, without seeking fame. I shall preach to everyone, even if they hate me. I am an ambassador of the Cross and must deliver the message. I shall pour my life out to reach my family, my friends, my neighbors, and my city. I embrace the shame of the Cross, and I fear nothing but God. I welcome suffering, shame, persecution, beatings, imprisonment and death, but I will not be silenced. If I am killed, I pray that my blood should be a harvest for souls. This is my city. I dare not do less.” Following graduation, each student is given three items. 1. A new Bible. 2. A new Bicycle. 3. A one-way train ticket to their field of service. There is no Plan B, and neither should any Christian have such.

When the phrase “Peer Pressure” is mentioned, our minds often jump to scenes in a school yard where a group of bullies are tempting young children to try drugs for the first time. Unfortunately, peer pressure is still prominent in college and even in the professional world. People, whether explicitly or implicitly, always seem to influence the decisions we make – for good or ill.

[Genesis 6:8] “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” This favor that Noah found in God’s eyes made a big change on the earth and the human race. About 5000 years ago, Noah and his family lived in the midst of an estimated one billion evil, violent, corrupt people. Mothers – think of hard it would be to raise a family. Mrs. Noah evidently supported her husband as he preached to those evil neighbors. The ark he was building was as long as one-and-a-half football fields and one-hundred miles from the nearest large body of water. Mothers – imagine the abuse and laughter that this family endured. But even in this dark time of human history, Mrs. Noah’s sons found wives. Give credit to this family for having the patience to endure and strived to teach God’s will for 100-years. Noah’s primitive tools made work very slow. To tell him to “hurry-up” would have been very foolish. Do you suppose Mrs. Noah heard her children say, “Nobody else does this. Why do we have to be different?” and “Is daddy nearly finished?” Noah and his wife set the example for all fathers and mothers. They accomplished their greatest responsibility by seeing that their family was saved from the impending disaster God warned about.

Peter most certainly understood this influence on decisions of integrity and belief when he wrote 1 Peter to the Christians scattered about Asia Minor. While the direct cause of suffering is still debated it seems most likely the Christians Peter was addressing were suffering from social pressures, or “peer pressure”. They were being “persecuted” because they didn’t participate in the same things as other Roman citizens or worship the pantheon of gods in Roman religion. (1 Peter 4:1-6) “…they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

So, whether in your workplace, school, church, family, or vacation – remember that we must not succumb to peer pressure that leads us away from Christ. For Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Amen!!

Answer The Call

 

One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and they were appalled by his appearance: leath­er jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos, and a pierced nose. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concern. “Dear,” said the mother diplomatically, “he doesn’t seem very nice.” “Oh please, Mom,” replied the daughter, “if he wasn’t nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?”

Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestling star, missed a call from his agent about a possible endorsement deal. Now the story has shifted over the years, but basically, his agent had set up some potential sponsorship on some kitchen items. These companies felt a celebrity name on their product could rocket them to success. Hulk favored a meatball maker, but the agent had another product in mind. So, he rang up Hogan, but he never answered. The agent moved on to his next client to see if he wanted to put his name on a personal grilling machine. That client, ex-boxer George Forman, took the call and the offer. Over 100 million George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machines have been sold worldwide. It is estimated that Forman has made over 500 million dollars from that deal, more than he made in his entire boxing career. I bet the Hulk wishes he had answered his phone.

A merchant sat at his desk, and all around him were letters, bills and other evidence that he was much absorbed in the details of his business. A gospel preacher entered his office and said, “I have come to you to try to interest you in a matter of great importance. I would like to talk to you about the destiny of your soul, and the gospel of Christ.”

“Sorry, not now. You must excuse me preacher,” said the merchant. “I am very busy,” was his reply. The preacher excused himself and with a sad and heavy heart, left. The merchant turned again to his papers.

Just a few days after this incident, a dis­agreeable stranger stepped into the mer­chant’s office and laid a cold moist hand upon his brow and said, “Come home with me,” and the merchant laid down his pen and closed his books and went home. He felt diz­zy, faint and sick. A cold chill settled on the merchant’s heart, specters of ships, notes, ledgers, houses and lands flitted through his excited brain. His pulse beat slower; his heart heaved, a thick film gathered over his eyes; his tongue refused to speak, and death’s clammy damp­ness was on his brow. He knew the name of the strange visitor was “Death.” He was too busy to attend to spiritu­al matters and the salvation of his soul, but he wasn’t too busy to die.

We don’t always see an opportunity for what it is. What may change our life might be seen initially as an annoyance or a hassle. We have different ideas about what is best. Yet later we can see how an opportunity slipped away.

[James 4: 13-14] God warns, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.’”

Right now, you have an opportunity to change your life for the better. You have access to ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ’ (Ephesians 3:8). He wants to put his name on YOU! (1 John 3:1-3). The Gospel call is ringing out to all of us (Romans 1:16-17; Acts 2:38-39). How are you going to respond? Ignore the call? Choose something else that won’t be as valuable? Or do you take the offer that grants far more than you ever hope to have in this life?

“…now is the accepted time; …now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

Well Known Roads

 

As the stranger enters the country store, he spots a sign: “Danger! Beware of Dog!” Down one aisle he spots a harmless old hound asleep in the middle of the floor. “Is that the dog we’re supposed to be aware of?” he asked the store owner. “That’s him,” comes the reply in an old slow southern drawl. “Well, he doesn’t look dangerous to me. Why would you post that sign for such a harmless old dog?” The store owner looked down at his beloved dog, then up at the stranger and said, “It’s more for the safety of the dog than the people. Before I posted that sign, folks kept tripping over him.”

One blade at a time. That’s how the last remaining Inca rope bridge is rebuilt every year. The Q´eswackaka bridge spans the Apurimac River in the Cusco region of Peru. For 600 years, communities from both sides of the bridge have been assembling to cut down the old bridge and rebuild with a new one – totally out of local Ichu grass. Women of all ages participate in the gathering of the grass and using it to brad into ropes, which the men of the communities will take and twist into strong cables. The braver of the men will use the cables to build a strong enough bridge to support travelers across the gorge for the next year. The total process of bridging the gap takes only three days, and the completion of the bridge requires total cooperation from both sides of the gorge.

This world is full of roads that may remind us of, or symbolize, many things. Perhaps the mention of “The Yellow Brick Road” brings to mind the exciting adventure to see the “Wizard of Oz.” “Abbey Road” will remind some of the Beatles. The “Burma Road” will remind a much older generation of a 717-mile-long road through mountainous country of China that was built by 200,000 Chinese laborers from 1937 to 1938 and later used by the British to transport war material during World War II.

Then there are roads noted in the Scriptures. The “Jericho Road” mentioned by Jesus in the parable of the “Good Samaritan” that might symbolize a ROAD TO SERVICE (Luke 10:33-35). The “Road to Gaza” where Philip met up with the Ethiopian treasurer might be noted as a ROAD TO DISCOVERY as Philip helped this man understand the One of whom Isaiah wrote was Jesus, the Messiah (Acts 9:1-8, 17-18). Then there was “The Road to Emmaus” on which Jesus walked with two disciples who were pondering the Lord’s death, burial, and the report of an empty tomb (Luke 24:13-35). Perhaps that road could be called “THE ROAD FROM SORROWING TO SEEING”.

[Matthew 7:13-14] “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” What makes roads significant and memorable is what occurs on them and to where they lead. On what road are you traveling throughout this life? Is it a well-traveled highway or faint path less traveled. What is occurring along the way? Where is it ultimately leading?

Jesus implied the choice boils down to two ways leading in opposite directions. One road leads to disappointment and death (spiritually), while the other to hope and Heaven (spiritual everlasting life). Though the road on which we would follow the Lord may be difficult at times, it will be worth the challenges, since it is the one leading to everlasting life in Heaven with God. (Jeremiah 6:16) “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls…’” Though it may not be a well-worn path of the many, keeping our eyes on Jesus who is “THE WAY” (John 14:6), we won’t get lost on THE KING’S HIGHWAY.